We have official adopted a dog...meet Bella
Is this not the cutest face you've ever seen (besides babies of course). I seriously can't get over how stinkin cute she is! And I know exactly what you're thinking right now. Are you crazy for getting a dog right before you have a baby? And my answer is, yes, we are crazy! We like to do things not the typical way in our family but we love it. Justin has been talking about wanting to get a dog since we first got married. We knew we wanted to wait until we had a house and of course right when we moved to a house, Justin was talking about how we need to get a dog. I was a little more hesitant on the timing since we have a brand new home, and a baby on the way. But my sweet husband did put up with an emotional, hormonal pregnant wife on and off over a year now so I thought it was the least I could do not to fight it. :) We decided we did not want to get a puppy since we really didn't want a puppy to chew up the house and wake us up all the time. We will soon not be getting sleep and would rather not start that process earlier than we need to. Justin started looking up different adoption agencies online to see what was available. He has been looking for a LONG time it seems and also had to fill out a long application. I really had no idea what can go into adopting a dog...it was quite amusing to me as they even came over for a "house visit" (I'm not kidding). I understand more now since they did nurse Bella back to health, pay for all her shots and took care of her and doesn't want her to be left abandoned again if we have an issue with her. Then one day Justin found Bella online and showed me her bio and picture. I really liked her right away. We were mainly looking for a dog that was already house trained and good with kids. She had been in a foster home with 2 small children so that made me feel at ease. She is also a lab mix and labs are great with kids as well. So the day after we get back from vacation we are going to Petsmart to meet Bella to see if we want to adopt her. We met her and just loved her right away. Then a week later, we were able to take her home with us! We have had her a whole week now and I can honestly say, I could not have asked for a better dog. Maybe I'm in the honeymoon stage, but she has been perfect so far. She hasn't had one accident, hasn't chewed anything she isn't supposed to, she sleeps through the entire night without whining or barking, and she hasn't even tried to get on the furniture. She is a great mix of being playful but also calm. She loves to play with her blue seahorse that she came with:
What I liked about the adoption agency is that they were very honest about what the dog was like. They have on the bios if the dog is not good with kids or needs a lot of patience etc. With Bella, they told us she likes to chase cats so she can't be at a house with cats. We never plan to get a cat so that doesn't bother us! They also told us when we adopted her that she has some separation anxiety. I really didn't know what she meant by that and thought they were just over analyzing her. But now I get it. She follows Justin and I around everywhere we go. I have accidentally stepped on her a dozen times because I didn't know she was right behind me. She doesn't really know what personal space is. Poor girl was found abandoned in a trailer park and has been at a few different fosters homes so she hasn't had a steady home. She follows me to the bathroom and I have to shut the door to get some privacy! I then open the door and she is right there. She is a cutie! I'm hoping that will pass with time.
It's surprising how attached Justin and I are to her after just a week....we have turned into those crazy dog people...something I thought I'd never be! I actually forgot how much joy a dog can bring to a home. Here she is learning how to fetch....
I have a feeling that there is another girl fighting for my husband's attention ;)
Okay I'm done talking about the dog....only 4 short months until we add another little addition into the family....I can't wait!
(This is Sara, I can't login for some reason)
ReplyDeleteWhat a cutie! I'm sure she's a great addition. As long as she feels loved and knows her place, I'm sure she'll fit in just fine.
Her following you around may be affected by the fact that you ate pregnant. Dogs have this weird knowing about it and are often more protective of pregnant women. When we were in the states, a pregnant friend wad over, and Daisy, who usually stuck to Jake like glue, wouldn't leave her side. After that, I heard story after story of dogs, even dogs women had never met before, doing this like that and showing their protective nature more so than with "regular" people.
Daisy followed us around everywhere, too, though. Some dogs ate just more social. I think as you get to know her you'll learn what she can and can't deal with. And you guys have the common sense to not give her unattended access to the baby! That's where a lot of dog owners go wrong. I don't understand it, myself. If you can't leave a baby with a small child unattended, what would make someone think they could leave them with a dog?! Sorry for the short rant.
Bella is adorable and I hope you have many happy years with her. How old is she?
Sara, I have heard that same thing about how dogs can sense a woman is pregnant...pretty amazing. And we will definitely not leave the baby unattended with Bella around at all, so no worries there. She likes to be outside so that is nice too especially when it will be cooler when the baby is here. Oh I forgot to mention Bella is about a year old!
Delete